


Eight Ways to Forget Lu

by baekyeolangst



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-26
Updated: 2018-10-26
Packaged: 2019-08-07 19:16:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,848
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16414313
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/baekyeolangst/pseuds/baekyeolangst
Summary: Chanyeol’s steps to survive heartbreaks; also known as a series of convincing yourself that your blind dates are not the same person no matter how similar they all look.





	Eight Ways to Forget Lu

**Author's Note:**

> my entry for BAE2017! I decided to write fluff/comedy because I knew that by writing angst, people could easily guess which fic I wrote.
> 
> turns out some people were able to guess this fic too because there’s Yifan in it. damn it kris wu
> 
> thank you so much for the amount of love received for this fic!!!! 
> 
>  
> 
> **for personal reasons, i asked the bae mods to remove my bae fic in 2017. im reposting it here

 

He had the intention of proposing.

 

After eight years of quite a successful relationship, Chanyeol took almost half of the money out of his bank account, dug through his ‘Use-In-The-Future’ piggybank that he had when he was nine, even worked two part-time jobs just to purchase the big, fat diamond rings that Lu Han kept staring at every single time they walk passed the small Pandora shop downtown. 

 

Perhaps saying that he starved himself for a few weeks just to save a few bucks and showered with the lights turned off just to avoid paying expensive electrical bills may be considered as exaggeration. However, the bottom line is that Chanyeol _wanted_ to settle down. 

 

The seventeen-year-old him wouldn’t believe anyone’s words if they were to say that he would want to get married at the age of twenty six, with only a stable job as a tutor and occasional part-time jobs as either a waiter at a cheap diner or a cashier at a grocery store nearby. 

 

Two months ago, Chanyeol brought Lu Han to a candlelight dinner by their favorite beach. He even managed to persuade his best friend, Kyungsoo into singing their favorite love songs (with the reward of an expensive brunch session at a hotel) as Chanyeol and Lu Han ate in silence. 

 

His hands were sweating when he got out of his seat mid-eating; his legs were trembling when he kneeled in front of Lu Han who immediately stopped chewing on his salty steak. 

 

Chanyeol’s voice shook when he proposed. He had promised to take a good care of Lu Han for the rest of his life, to stand by his side through thick and thin, to grow old together, Chanyeol promised to love Lu Han forever — only to have Lu Han interrupt him in the midst of his speech. 

 

Lu Han’s voice was soft. It always has been soft, as he stared at Chanyeol with his gentle eyes when he whispered, “No.”

 

Kyungsoo sung the Stevie Wonder song with a strangled voice upon hearing Lu Han’s answer. Kyungsoo’s boyfriend accidentally strummed the wrong string of his guitar and Chanyeol felt like he was swallowing the sand. Lu Han kept on shaking his head; so harsh that he might have snapped his neck before he slammed his fork onto his plate, apologized, and ran off. 

 

The candles were already blown out by the wind when Chanyeol felt his tears falling to his collars. Kyungsoo and Yifan gave him the most pitiful look, both pulling him into a tight hug as they rubbed his back before the couple began to dig into the leftover steak and wine. 

 

“Really sorry about what happened with Lu Han, man,” Yifan said, voice muffled by the coleslaw in his mouth, “But we can’t let you waste the food.”

 

It’s safe to say that Chanyeol was at least satisfied when he punched Kris in the face, ignoring Kyungsoo’s horrified shriek. 

 

 

 

 

_ Words spread faster than Yifan’s ass cheeks when he sees Kyungsoo in a suit, _ Chanyeol remembers what Jongin said when Chanyeol’s phone was blasting nonstop with frantic messages—some asking him why he broke up with the most beautiful boy in college, some asking for Lu Han’s number now that he was a free man. Of course people would be curious. They were college sweethearts after all. 

 

People expected them to get married and have beautiful children. _He_ had expected them to get married and have gorgeous children. Three boys and the youngest one would be a baby girl that they’d rescue from a Japanese orphanage during their trip to Osaka. Chanyeol had it all planned – only to be shot down by a short, painful answer. 

 

_ No.  _ How many times has that word repeated itself in his mind, over and over again, like a broken record? 

 

_ I love you, but I can’t _ . How many times has Chanyeol read that particular message sent a few days after that night, pronouncing each syllable with pain dripping out of his mouth? 

 

_ I’m sorry, Chanyeol _ . How many times has he dreamt of Lu Han’s teary-eyed expression, looking at him in pity as he backed away, slowly, and slowly, and slowly—out of Chanyeol’s life? 

 

He doesn’t realize that he’s crying until his tears are caught on his crumpled sleeves. It’s been only two months since the big break up happened—and all Chanyeol did was… well. He was cooped up in his room most of the time, only getting out of it to brush his teeth and whip up some good old cheese ramen (and udon, but that’s specifically for sentimental, melancholic nights). 

 

Everything in his house made him sad—from that barely functioning four year old coffee maker that Lu Han bought when they moved in together—to the ripped skinny jeans that looked very, _very_ good on Lu Han, lying on the full laundry basket. Each piece of shop receipts pictured bits of sweet memories he had with his ex-boyfriend. Each Yuri!!! On Ice mugs left unwashed in the sink reminded him of hectic Monday mornings and tranquil Sunday nights. 

 

His friends tend to check up on him from time to time; Kyungsoo would always come over, knocking on the front door so loud that Chanyeol’s ears could bleed. The tiny man would drag a whining Yifan along, slamming a plastic bowl of his infamous spaghetti and hangover soup—as if he had already known that Chanyeol had gotten drunk the night before, wailing over Lu Han and his broken heart. 

 

While his “good” friend Jongin, despite being the biggest asshole he has ever met, would always give him a call and a ten-minute pep talk on how he should stop moping over Lu Han and “start shagging with those pretty girls from college who still would want to bang even after all these years”. 

 

“Most of them are married, man,” Chanyeol would say, groaning. “I may be a famous kid before, but now I’m just a pathetic guy who just got dumped by the love of his life.” 

 

After the annoying call ends, Chanyeol would take a look of his pitch-black room, thumb scrolling down the contacts list to a particular name in the L section. His fingers would freeze when he sees Lu Han’s name glaring up at him—fingertips just aching to click on the call button. 

 

He had so many questions. He still does. Lu Han left, without a word, without any explanations, without regrets, with nothing but a mere apology when he rejected Chanyeol’s proposal. _How could you do this to me?_ The question remains unspoken, trapped on the tip of his tongue. And the question would remain trapped, forever probably. 

 

_ How do I move on from all of this, _ he thinks in frustration. How does someone move on from an event so… so painful, so heart shattering, so devastating like this? He still could remember the taste of his own tears when they fell on his lip, sobbing so loud, clutching onto his chest because Lu Han had stepped on his heart so harshly that it was starting to hurt _literally_. 

 

 

** To: Lu Han♡ **

** Why? **

 

 

** To: Lu Han♡ **

** Don’t you think I deserve some kind of explanation?  **

 

 

** To: Lu Han♡ **

** I loved you. I still do. **

 

 

** To: Lu Han♡ **

** Just… Why? **

 

Those messages remain unsent, all stacked up in his draft box but he just couldn’t find the courage to click send. What would Lu Han answer? What if his answer is not the reply that Chanyeol wants to hear? What if his answer would break Chanyeol’s heart even more? He doesn’t want the same event to repeat itself. He prefers to cower away and hide rather than facing inevitable confrontation. 

 

** To: Do Kyungsoo, Fanfan, KJI **

** It hurts so much.  **

 

 

He knew that none of them would read his message or reply – his friends have better things to do. Kyungsoo would most probably be at work, an accountant at a well-known company. Yifan would be at his cooking class that his boyfriend forced him to join because Yifan almost burnt the house down when he tried to make dinner for two.

 

Meanwhile, Jongin would be… Where would Jongin be? He could be sunbathing somewhere in Jeju or living off his parents’ money while watching make up tutorials in his private jet—who knows. 

 

Chanyeol figures that he’s the only one without a stable job, a significant other and a private jet. At least _with_ Lu Han, he’s a simple man who teaches English literature for a living and an owner to a half-dead cactus. Without Lu Han, he’s just a dumb tutor with a cactus. The thought of his dark future doesn’t seem comfortable settling in his guts. 

 

 

** From: Fanfan **

** Awwww little baby… you should make a list of things you want to do without Lu Han.  **

 

** From: Chanyeol **

** What list? I want to do _everything_ with Lu Han. **

** I want to travel with him. I want to write poems for him. I want to marry him. **

 

** From: Fanfan **

** No, dude, like, things you want to do but Lu Han won’t allow you to do.  **

** Like for example, I want to be able to run naked with my dog in the living room. But Kyungsoo won’t let me do it.  **

** You get me right? Now that Lu Han’s gone, you can do whatever you want to do. **

 

** From: Chanyeol **

** … **

 

** From: Fanfan **

** Am I the only one who wants to run naked with my pet dog?  **

 

** From: Chanyeol **

** Yes, Yifan. Yes you are.  **

 

** From: Fanfan **

** Well whatever, as long as you get my point.  **

 

** From: Fanfan **

** I gotta go, the chef’s here. I can’t wait for you guys to taste my spicy chicken. I seasoned it with black pepper and ketchup. Woooh **

 

Chanyeol grimaces. 

 

** From: Chanyeol **

** I’ll pass. **

 

** From: Fanfan **

** BONE APPLE BEAF **

 

Placing his phone (an old iPhone 4s, with a cracked screen and a ruined volume button) on the coffee table, Chanyeol takes a good look at the to-do list stuck onto their— _his_ refrigerator. 

 

** To-do list: **

  1. Go grocery shopping: more cheese ramen and some broccoli just to prove to Kyungsoo that you’ve been eating healthily
  2. ~~Sell the engagement rings~~ reconsider this matter, Park
  3. Steal Jongin’s private jet
  4. Move on (but how?)
  5. Buy more club soda
  6. Some garlic bread sounds nice



 

“Huh,” He shrugs, jutting out his bottom lip in consideration. “Garlic bread _does_ sound nice.” 

 

Chanyeol takes the last can of club soda in the fridge along with his half-eaten cheeseburger he ate yesterday and tosses the food onto the dining table, gel pen in his mouth and recycled papers in his hands. 

 

** To-do list: **

  1. ~~Go grocery shopping: more cheese ramen and broccoli just to prove to Kyungsoo that you’ve been eating healthily~~
  2. ~~Sell the engagement rings~~ reconsider this matter, Park
  3. ~~Steal Jongin’s private jet~~
  4. Move on (but how?)
  5. ~~Buy more club soda~~
  6. ~~Some garlic bread sounds nice~~
  7. Make a new list (what can I do without Lu Han?) 



 

Chanyeol chews on the sour pickles and lettuce slowly, pen gripped tightly in his hand as he thinks. It took him eight hours to fall in love. It took him eight years of dating Lu Han to finally propose. It would probably take him eight more years to fall out of love. 

 

What is the thing that he secretly craves to do, with or without Lu Han? Snow skiing? They went skiing last year—it ended with Chanyeol getting a fractured leg and Lu Han having a bad fever. Rescue a dog? He’s allergic in the first place. Lu Han’s cat was so fucking adorable; no other pup can charm him like the stupid cat did. 

 

** Eight Things I Can Do Without You:  **

**     1. **

 

 His mind is empty, his eyes blank.

 

** Eight Things I Can Do Without You:  **

  1. **Nothing.**



 

 

 

—

 

 

It started with just one single email he received last Tuesday.

 

** TO: SN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS – BATCH ‘09 **

** FROM: secretskeets@snmail **

_ Hello, fellow students of Seoul National University, _

_ Despite our graduation being years ago, I have made a decision to continue my “career” as the infamous journalist, Secretive Skeeter. _

_ Why, you ask? Because my most favorite, most adored power couple of batch 1992 have gone their separate ways after eight years of loving. _

_ Park Chanyeol and Lu Han have broken up.  _

_ I will be keeping all of you updated, just like I have always done all those years ago. I’m sure that all of you have missed me. _

_ Wishing you all the best,  _

_ Skeeter. _

 

Ah, Secretive Skeeter. He still remembers the sly journalist, an exact (however, anonymous) replica of Rita Skeeter; the obnoxious reporter from Harry Potter—creating lies and rumors to stir the burning anger of a person who’s accused of such terrible news. Skeeter has always been particularly fond of the great power couple, Park and Lu. Always trying to somehow bring them down and break them up. 

 

“I guess Skeeter’s gotten what they wanted,” Baekhyun sighs as he rereads the email he had received. It’s awful, really – for someone to be joyful over one’s failed relationship. Though, Baekhyun won’t admit the fact that his heart is beating rather quickly either. 

 

_ Eight years.  _

 

“Did you just say Skeeter?” His former seatmate, Minseok pops his head into Baekhyun’s office, eyebrow raised in curiosity. “ _The_ Secretive Skeeter?” 

 

Baekhyun politely nods at the startled client standing behind Minseok, who’s apparently a very professional lawyer in the office, somewhat a dumb clown on the streets. 

 

“Yeah,” He says, “Secretive Skeeter sent an email to all of us.” 

 

“Oh, I blocked the son of a bitch after they accused me of sucking Jongdae off in Professor Cho’s class.” Minseok shrugs, clutching onto his thick file, oblivious of the wide-eyed woman still standing behind him. “Anyway, what did Skeeter say?”

 

Baekhyun clears his throat. “Um, apparently, Park Chanyeol and Lu Han broke up.” 

 

Minseok hums in acknowledgement before he gasps softly, pointing his index finger towards the flustered lawyer sitting in his office. “Wait a minute. Isn’t Park Chanyeol—”

 

“Yes,” Baekhyun interrupts, stopping the man from continuing. “Yes, he is.”

 

_ Eight years of an unrequited love. _

 

“Well, well, well…” His friend sing-songs, wiggling his eyebrows as Baekhyun rereads Skeeter’s email over and over again. “Looks like  your chance is finally here, Byun.” 

 

_ Eight. Fucking. Years.  _

 

 

** TO: secretskeets@snmail **

** FROM: notmyrodrick2017@snmail **

_ Hi, Skeeter.  _

_ I just want to reconfirm whether the wreck of Park & Lu news is true or just a lie.  _

 

_ Sincerely, _

_ A genuinely curious classmate from batch ‘09. _

 

 

 

** TO: notmyrodrick017@snmail **

** FROM: secretskeets@snmail **

_ Hello, notmyrodrick.  _

_ And why would it be a lie? Skeeter never lies.  _

_ If you’re still in disbelief, check @Lu_Han90 on Instagram. His recent post was about him finally having the freedom he had craved for since eight years ago.  _

_ A mean one – that wicked Lu.  _

 

_ Wishing you all the best, _

_ Skeeter.  _

 

 

Baekhyun is too swift to grab his phone by the bed stand, searching the username that was stated in Skeeter’s email, only to be disappointed when he clicks on a private profile. 

 

“It’d be weird if I suddenly send a follow request…” Baekhyun bites on his lips, thumb hovering above the tempting ‘follow’ button. Instead, he quits the application and calls his best friend, who picks up the call with a muffled groan. 

 

“— _what do you want, Byun_?” comes the annoyed voice. Baekhyun checks the clock hanging on the wall of his bed room. _Oh._ Of course the man would be annoyed. It’s four in the morning. 

 

“Are you following Lu Han on Instagram?” He asks, wincing when Minseok shouts from the other line. 

 

“ _Are you fucking kidding me? You called me at four in the morning just to ask me that—no, Jongdae, don’t tell me to calm down—listen here, Byun, we have to go to work in two hours and I need some sleep._ ” 

 

“I know, I know… but this is important.” Baekhyun pleads, almost whines. “Come on, could you send a screenshot of Lu Han’s Instagram profile and his most recent post, please?” 

 

“ _No, you creep. I’m hanging up._ ” 

 

“You’re not a good friend. I’m going to tell Skeeter that you _did_ suck Jongdae off in Professor Cho’s class, you bitch.” 

 

“ _Fuck you and your unborn children, Byun._ ” 

 

The man on the other line hangs up after that, and Baekhyun visibly slumps in defeat. 

 

 

“So,” His co-worker slams a paper cup of coffee (sweetened double-shot espresso, fresh from the brand new high-tech vending machine that their company placed in the pantry), and Baekhyun flinches in response when he sees Minseok getting too close to his comfort zone. “Care to tell me why the hell did you want to stalk pretty Lu’s Instagram profile at four in the morning?”

 

Baekhyun clears his throat, ready to defend himself. “Incorrect. I don’t _want_ to stalk his Instagram profile. I just wanted to check up on him, see how he’s doing. You know how a man becomes after he gets out of a relationship. Poor guy must be devastated.” 

 

“You’re rambling,” Another (rather annoying) co-worker, Yixing interrupts their tiny conversation when he enters the pantry, rubbing his eyes frantically as he yawns wide. “G’ morning, guys.”

 

Baekhyun pauses before he glances at his watch on his left wrist. “…It’s 12.45 P.M.” 

 

 “Exactly,” Yixing says, standing on his tip toes to grab onto the packets of creamers in the cabinet. “It’s too early for me to go to work, especially one that involves bratty clients.” 

 

“Yeah, totally,” Minseok waves a hand to dismiss their sudden interruption, towering over them. “Anyway, Byun, I know the real reason why you wanted to stalk pretty Lu on Instagram.” 

 

Yixing’s ears visibly perk up before he grabs a mug of coffee and joins them on the round table. “Pretty Lu?” 

 

“It’s a dude, Xing, get your heterosexual, casanova hands off this table.” Minseok rolls his eyes at the constant distraction. “Basically, Baekhyun is happy over someone’s major break up.” 

 

“Geez, B,” Yixing grimaces. “Never knew you’re one to stoop that low.” 

 

“What the—you used to sleep with your divorced clients, Yixing!” Baekhyun exclaims—exasperated at the double attacks he’s getting from his colleagues. He knew he should have accepted that job offer at the other law firm just a few blocks away. 

 

His co-worker finally raises both hands in defeat before he walks out of the pantry with a mug of coffee in his hand, face still unwashed. 

 

“So, you think you got a chance?” Minseok asks once he’s sure that no one else is going to simply barge in and interrupt them once again. 

 

“What chance?” 

 

“Screwing Park Chanyeol and having children with him.”

 

“What—I—I do _not_ want to screw him and have children with him.” Baekhyun hisses, grabby hands attacking Minseok’s face to shut him up. “It’s been years, Min. I’m sure he doesn’t even remember me anymore. We had, like, just a few minor classes together, that’s all.” 

 

“But you still like him, and you’re happy that he finally broke up with Lu Han.” Minseok deadpans, as if he’s stating the obvious. “Oh, speaking of pretty Lu, he’s totally not upset about the break up. In fact, I _do_ follow his Instagram account.” 

 

How can that man not be sad about a break up after eight years of dating? Baekhyun can’t even last a few months in a relationship before he breaks up with them or get dumped in the middle of the street—and it results in him crying under the blankets of his room even if the relationship isn’t that special to him. How could someone not feel sad after breaking up with their significant other? 

 

“Check this out,” Minseok says as he takes his phone out of his pocket, scrolling over random pictures on his Instagram home section before he stumbles onto a photo of two men dressed in matching coats, standing in front of what seems to be the Eiffel Tower. “Not even a few days after the big break up and he got himself a new man.” 

 

Baekhyun practically yanks the phone away from its owner as he gapes when he stares at the photo. Lu Han has his eyes closed as he smiled while the other guy was kissing his cheek. It baffles him how 340 people would like that picture, even when Lu Han had included a fairly insensitive caption on the photo.

 

“Apparently, they’re going on a trip all over Europe.” Minseok shrugs, clicking on @Lu_Han90’s profile to show him a multiple pictures of Lu Han having fun at luxurious places, accompanied by a man who has his face hidden (either he was kissing Lu Han’s hair or hiding his face in the crook of Lu Han’s neck). “That lucky bastard.”

 

“Wow.” Is the only thing Baekhyun says; as always, Lu Han would always render him speechless. “Lu Han left Park Chanyeol for a very young-looking sugar daddy?” 

 

“Apparently and unfortunately, yes,” Minseok says before he stuffs his phone back into his pocket and throws his paper cup into the trashcan nearby. “I better get back to work. Don’t dwell too much on this matter, Byun.” 

 

“I won’t,” Baekhyun chuckles nervously, adjusting his tie that suddenly seems too tight around his neck. “See you around.” 

 

As he walks back to his office, Baekhyun couldn’t keep the image of Lu Han being too happy out of his mind. It’s rather creepy for him to think about someone’s destroyed relationship so seriously like this, but then again, it’s rather not. 

 

Eight years ago, Baekhyun didn’t back away from the lovebirds for no reason. Sure, he had a crush on Park Chanyeol—the tall, lanky and absolutely handsome Literature student who took minor classes with him—but he also knew that he wouldn’t do anything to ruin Chanyeol and Lu Han’s relationship. 

 

Bitterly, he thinks that if he _did_ ruin their relationship eight years ago, it would have been easy. He would have saved Chanyeol from a grand heartbreak, too. That is, if Chanyeol is going through one. For all he knows, both parties were fairly ecstatic about the break up. 

 

But Baekhyun clearly remembers how much Chanyeol had loved Lu Han. The college sweethearts practically had heart signs coming out of their eyes when they stared at each other in their own field of undying love.

 

And Baekhyun… was just an irrelevant viewer sitting on the bleachers amongst other hopelessly in love students. 

 

“But he’s single now,” He tries to reason with himself, rocking himself on the chair of his office. “And _I’m_ single…” 

 

Abandoning his paper works, Baekhyun whips out his phone (a sleek rose gold iPhone 7+, with a slightly cracked tempered glass) and crosses his legs on the table. He taps his slender fingers on his chin as he scrolls down a list of numerous and useless numbers in his contacts, thumb pausing at a familiar name under the group chat ‘SN UNI’. 

 

“Wu Yifan,” he murmurs to himself. “Of course…”

 

He still remembers Wu Yifan, his tutee back in university, who’s too tall to be two years younger than him and too dumb to be a law student. They didn’t talk much during the tutoring sessions, given the fact that Baekhyun wasn’t much of a talker—but he knew about Yifan’s cliques and his flings. Yifan did most of the talking and Baekhyun did his part by acting like he wasn’t paying attention.

 

Baekhyun can’t recall much, except for the fact that Yifan had dropped out of law school and went back to square one. He was also best friends with Park Chanyeol. Judging by the fact that Yifan was the reason why Baekhyun sacrificed his precious time to tutor him, it isn’t really that wrong to text him a simple hello, right…? 

 

“Mr. Byun?”

 

A knock comes from a man standing behind the slightly gaping door, shaking Baekhyun from his trance. He almost throws his phone away when his boss comes into view, cladded in a stained blue shirt and suspenders. 

 

“Yes?” He gathers his paperwork into one spot on the middle of the table. “Good afternoon, Mr. Kwon.”

 

The bald man simply nods, gesturing him towards the anxious-looking couple standing behind him and his glorious potbelly. “Mr. and Mrs. Do, I’d like you to meet Byun Baekhyun. He’s one of our best lawyers in this company.”

 

Baekhyun puts on his professional smile, bowing towards the couple with much respect. “It’s nice to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Do.” 

 

The older lawyer only sends him a knowing look before he invites the married couple into Baekhyun’s office, bowing one last time before he shuts the door. 

 

“It’s a pleasure to meet you too.” The middle-aged man shakes his hand, offering him a kind smile before he introduces himself. “My name is Do Youngho. This is my wife, Do Soojin.” 

 

“Soon to be former wife,” The woman corrects him, swatting at his wrinkly hand. “We’re here for a divorce, and we’re rather excited about it.” 

 

“…Ah, I see.” Baekhyun awkwardly replies. “Please, do take a seat.” 

 

Mr. Do takes a quick look at the clock by the wall before he speaks. “I’m actually in a hurry, so it’ll be fantastic if you could hand us the divorce papers and allow us to sign them so we could finish this as fast as we can.” 

 

The woman beside him, surprisingly, nods with great enthusiasm.

 

“I’m afraid that it wouldn’t be that easy, Mr. Do.” Baekhyun furrows his brows. “We would have to discuss your financial status and the equal distribution of property and family money.” 

 

“Easy. I get all the money,” The woman whistles, blowing her fingernails. “This man here gets all the flirty secretaries he wants.”  

 

Baekhyun gulps. 

 

“Behave, Soojin.” The older man grunts. “I suppose we’d have to discuss that matter professionally, yes…” 

 

“I’m also supposed to be aware if there’s any son of daughter involved.” He replies, arranging the newly printed divorce papers. He could almost swear that both middle-aged man and woman were eyeing the divorce papers with hawk eyes. 

 

“Yes, we have a son.” The woman says with adoration obvious in her voice. “His name is Do Kyungsoo.” 

 

The young lawyer nods, oblivious. “All right, then.”

 

 

 

—

 

 

** Eight Things I Can Do Without You: **

  1. **~~Nothing.~~**


  1. **Watch all the chick-flick movies that he hates which I secretly love and delete all the action movies that he loves which I secretly hate.**



 

 

—

 

 

 

Crumpled tissues are scattered all over the precious floor of his apartment. Yifan sighs as he gathers the used tissues with a broomstick that no one really uses and sweeps away, ignoring the other two grown men wailing in his living room. He sighs, “Seriously, guys…”

 

Chanyeol doesn’t acknowledge Yifan’s constant pleading for him to stop crying, instead, the taller man purposely blows his nose onto the piece of tissue to piss Yifan off even more. The younger of the two grumbles even louder than he did two hours ago when Chanyeol came over uninvited. 

 

“Stop crying already. Your slice of pizza is all… drenched.” He scrunches his nose, scooting further away from Chanyeol. 

 

Chanyeol sniffles. “Sorry.” 

 

“It’s okay. I get why you’re still sad, but today’s not a good day, man.” He shakes his head, pointing towards the other weeping man by the corner of the sofa. “Kyungsoo went through a pretty bad day today.” 

 

Chanyeol leans closer to him to whisper, eyes bloodshot and sunken but filled with curiosity nonetheless. “What happened to him?” 

 

“My parents are getting a divorce.” Kyungsoo suddenly says, wrapping his sturdy arms around his bent knees. “It’s not such a big deal—but I’m still sad.” 

 

“Hey,” Yifan abandons his heartbroken friend as he cradles his boyfriend’s face in his hands, placing a swift kiss on his cupid’s bow. “Of course it’s a big deal. I know it’s hard to accept the fact that they’re getting a divorce, babe.” 

 

“What about me?” Chanyeol’s whining could be heard from the kitchen. 

 

“Dude, I’m trying to comfort the love of my life over here. Just grab a can of beer and another slice of pizza.” 

 

Kyungsoo chuckles softly as Yifan takes half a second to stare at the way his eyes shimmer. “It’s okay, Yifan. I’m okay.” 

 

“How did it happen, anyway?” Chanyeol interrupts once again, making himself comfortable by squeezing his large body in between the two lovers sitting on the couch who grunts in annoyance at the same time. “What made your parents decide to get a divorce?”

 

“I don’t know, to be honest,” Kyungsoo sighs, resting his head on Chanyeol’s shoulder. It’s rather saddening to watch his boyfriend and his best friend being so miserable — Yifan feels even shittier not knowing what to do and how to fix things. 

 

“Last year, my mom found out that my dad had an affair with someone,” Kyungsoo shrugs, trying hard to seem nonchalant, but Yifan’s gaze would always pierce through his lies. “Then, she went all berserk and spent all his money by buying cars and houses just to piss him off.” 

 

Chanyeol nods understandingly upon listening to his words and the three men fall into a pit of excruciating silence. Yifan and his boyfriend glance at each other; they excuse themselves to freshen up before going out to dinner as planned. The youngest of three watches his post-break-up best friend starting at the hanging picture of Kyungsoo, Yifan, Chanyeol and Lu Han together during the last day of college. 

 

He makes a note in his head to cut Lu Han out of the photo before he enters the bedroom. 

 

“Honey,” Kyungsoo starts once they lock the shared bedroom door. His voice soft and pleading – Yifan recognizes that particular voice. He’s trying to coax him into a mutual agreement that Yifan would probably say no to. “I think we should tell him.”

 

Yifan’s eyes widen slightly. “Tell him? No, we can’t! He’ll hate himself, Soo.” 

 “But he also deserves to know…” Kyungsoo brings both his palms to his face, groaning. “God, I feel so miserable. We are his worst best friends.” 

 

“Baby, we’re his _only_ best friends.”

 

“You’re not helping.”

 

“Sorry,” He apologizes, and smiles. “But can we just not drop the bomb on him? He’s still going through a rough patch at the moment. Let’s not worsen the situation.” 

 

Yifan grabs the lemony yellow scarf draped over the dresser and wraps it around his boyfriend’s neck loosely before he gives the man an Eskimo kiss. Kyungsoo cowers away a little with a blush before he unlocks the door and rushes out to accompany their best friend. 

 

They ended up going to the mall rather than going to their favorite diner just because Chanyeol “had important stuff to buy”. Yifan knew he should have checked the lanky man’s to-buy list first (since Chanyeol has lists for literally _everything_ ). Apparently, there weren’t any ‘stuff’ to buy—and now; Yifan and Kyungsoo are stuck in Forever 21 while Chanyeol walks over to the fitting room. 

 

“Dude, come on, my stomach is literally grumbling in anger right now….” Kyungsoo stomps his feet on the marbled floor when Yifan is too busy cackling as he watches Chanyeol making a fool of himself by trying on the denim jacket with “KEEP CALM AND EAT PIZZAS” written on the back. 

 

“Wait, I’m just gonna buy a few things.” Chanyeol brushes them away as he picks out different colors of ripped skinny jeans. “Go ahead and wait at the restaurant if you don’t have anything to buy. I feel like eating Chinese food today.” 

 

“You feel like eating Chinese food _every day_ ,” Yifan’s boyfriend mutters under his breath, dragging Yifan by the elbow as they walk out of the clothing store. 

 

Kyungsoo isn’t really a fan of Chinese food. The fact that most of the meals taste like Lu Han’s homemade food that he used to make every Sunday night leaves a bitter taste on Kyungsoo’s tongue. He figures that it’s time to address the big ass elephant in the room—or in this case, the Chinese restaurant. 

 

“We have to help him.” Yifan says with mouth full rice. “Don’t tell me you didn’t notice the fact that he’s buying every single thing that Lu Han used to own. The ripped skinny jeans—the ‘pizza’ jacket! God knows how much I wanted to burn Lu Han’s stupid jacket.” 

 

Kyungsoo doesn’t have the chance to speak. The moment he intends to respond, Chanyeol enters the restaurant with shopping bags heavy in his hands and a pained smile plastered on his face. Kyungsoo opts on shoving his face with the stir-fried noodles, giving Yifan an obvious clue that he wants _nothing_ to do with Chanyeol’s sudden shopping tendencies. 

 

Yifan sighs. “Chanyeol, what are those?”

 

Chanyeol grins excitedly as he rummages through the plastic bags, showcasing the useless and expensive items that he recently bought. Kyungsoo is quick to stop him from fumbling any further when he digs his hand in one of the shopping bags and pulls out what seems to be a—

 

“Why the hell did you buy lingerie?” Kyungsoo shrieks as he observes the leopard-printed lingerie while Yifan raises his brow in curiosity. “Chanyeol, you’re _gay_.” 

 

“So? I could’ve gotten it for myself to wear on occasional lonely nights, you know.” Chanyeol scoffs, defending himself. 

 

“Yeah right, I bet you just purchased everything that was on sale.” Kyungsoo sticks his tongue out like a kid, both grown up men turning away to avoid facing each other after their sudden argument. 

 

“Soo, I’ll be keeping this for _our_ occasional passionate nights.” Yifan takes the lingerie away from his boyfriend, shoving it in the pocket of his long coat. “And Chanyeol, we need to talk.”

 

The taller man groans, seeming to know what’s about to begin. “Why are you guys so against me buying lingerie for myself?”

 

“This isn’t about the lingerie,” Yifan furrows his brows, “This is about Lu Han.”

 

Chanyeol visibly flinches then blinks, perhaps realizing how the playful argument suddenly turns into something a little more sensitive. 

 

“Yeol, you need to stop mourning over him. We hate seeing you binge eating everything out of our fridge and buying too many lingerie that you would most probably never even use.” Kyungsoo reaches out to hold his friend’s hand. “It’s time for you to move on now, don’t you think?”

 

Yifan nods. Chanyeol’s jaw locks. 

 

“Easy for you two lovebirds to say,” Chanyeol rolls his eyes. “Do you honestly think I don’t want to move on? I’d kill to get Lu Han out of my mind. But I can’t. Get it? I can’t…”

 

“You can, if you just try.” Yifan tries to assure him, but Chanyeol only pushes Kyungsoo’s hands away. 

 

Understanding his frustration, Kyungsoo doesn’t take his actions to the heart. Instead, he smiles. “You could start by meeting new people and going on dates.” 

 

It takes the taller man a few minutes to think of the suggestion before he nods in defeat. “Okay.” 

 

Kyungsoo bounces in his seat with excitement, clapping his hands. He doesn’t even bother to wipe the soy milk stains on his lips. Yifan couldn’t help picturing his boyfriend in Chanyeol’s recently purchased lingerie. 

 

 

 

—

 

 

** Eight Things I Can Do Without You: **

**~~  1. Nothing. ~~ **

** 1\. Watch all the chick-flick movies that he hates which I secretly love and delete all the action movies that he loves which I secretly hate. **

**      2. Go on blind dates. **

 

 

—

 

 

 

His first date comes in a form of a tall man in red basket ball shorts, clean cut hair and sweaty palms. Chanyeol arrived at the café two hours earlier than he planned to and by the time his date came, he’s already finishing his third cup of smoothie. His date—Sehun—isn’t much of a talker. Neither is Chanyeol. They sit in silence for the first twenty minutes, before Sehun chooses to speak up. 

 

“We went to college together, you know.” The man says, jaw sharp and brows thick. “I bet you don’t remember me. I took Dentistry.” 

 

Chanyeol stops fidgeting in his seat, awkwardness suddenly thrown out of the window. “Wait, really? No wonder you look so familiar.” 

 

“Yeah, I’m pretty honored that I got to be your first blind date though.” Sehun shrugs with a smug smile. The basketball shorts make him look like a tool, not to mention the fact that he’s wearing a bandana. “There were a lot of ladies in there tryna get some, you know.”

 

Chanyeol pauses in confusion. “What?”

 

“The SN UNI chat room,” Sehun replies, shrugging so many times that Chanyeol thinks his shoulders are going to fall off. “That Wu Yifan guy was promoting you in the chat room, saying that you were looking for a blind date. He prioritized men, though. That’s why he chose me to be your first date.” 

 

Chanyeol leans back in his seat, baffled and even more confused. “…What?”

 

The taller of the two stares at him as if he’s an idiot before he takes his phone out of his shorts. He then slides the phone across the round table. “Take a look.”

 

 

** kris_fanfan: LIVING A SINGLE LIFE? WORRIED THAT YOU MIGHT DIE BEING A VIRGIN? WORRY NO MORE! PARK CHANYEOL IS NOW ALSO SINGLE AND LOOKING FOR A BLIND DATE! ANYONE INTERESTED? **

 

 

“That son of a bitch…” Chanyeol grits his teeth, scrolling through replies of some people asking for Chanyeol’s number. Sehun laughs a little, too quiet for the crowded café to hear, but loud enough for the star-struck waitresses to stare in awe. 

 

“I don’t know what’s sadder, to be honest; Yifan promoting you online or Lu Han being a member of the chat room.” Sehun snorts and Chanyeol could almost feel the strawberry smoothie shooting up to his nostrils when he choked. 

 

“ _Lu Han_ is in that chat room?!” 

 

“Yeah, but he ain’t that active.” The man sitting in front of him winks. “Don’t worry.” 

 

Chanyeol literally slams his head on the table, startling Sehun and a few customers before they continue on with their conversations. He groans aloud, embarrassment and betrayal punching him in the face at once. Yifan has always been a jackass, so why did Chanyeol even make the decision to trust him?

 

Of course he’s going to pull something ridiculous when he told Chanyeol not to worry and that he “knew a lot of people who are interested”. And of course Chanyeol is a total idiot to be falling for his words. 

 

“I know you mean well, but I’m not ready to date anyone for now.” Chanyeol wipes his palm on his face. The headache and familiar pounding on the left side of his head is definitely creeping back to him. “Don’t trust anything that Yifan says.” 

 

“That’s okay, man. I’m just here because Yifan told me you’re loaded and I need a sugar daddy who would pay my bills.” 

 

“Yifan lied. I can barely pay my own bills. I’m an English teacher at a local elementary school.”

 

“Well, seems like we’ve got this awkward-blind-date thing out of the way.” Sehun puts both his hands up, grinning widely. “So, what’s up with you and pretty Lu?” 

 

_ Ouch _ , Chanyeol thinks. That question might be a little too forward for a first meeting. 

 

“We just broke up, that’s all.” Chanyeol pretends to be unfazed. 

 

Sehun raises his brow as if he’s uncertain and doubtful, but he shakes his head and gives Chanyeol a smile. “Well, all right, then… Oh, and I forgot to tell you that I left my wallet at home, so…”

 

Chanyeol eyes all the four glasses of smoothies on the table before checking the prices on the menu list. He was brutally dumped, he spent his money on things that he doesn’t need, he’s on a date with a cheapskate—and now his wallet is crying. Rule number one of having friends: never trust the youngest one. They would most probably embarrass you and deceive you. 

 

 

 

—

 

 

**~~ Eight Things I Can Do Without You: ~~ **

**~~  1. Nothing. ~~ **

**~~ 1\. Watch all the chick-flick movies that he hates which I secretly love and delete all the action movies that he loves which I secretly hate. ~~ **

**~~      2. Go on blind dates. ~~ **

** Eight Ways to Forget You: **

**           1.  **

His head dizzy, his hands shaky. 

 

** Eight Ways to Forget You:  **

**           1. I can’t. **

 

—

 

 

He had a pet ferret when he was a kid. Ttori had soft fur, twinkling eyes and dull claws (his mom kept on cutting them because Chanyeol was a kid back then), the most famous ferret in their neighborhood—but not in their Furry Ferrets Club. He bitterly remembers how that fat kid in that club had a cuter ferret. Ttori ended up running away when Chanyeol’s sister came back with a puppy, and Chanyeol wept for weeks. He had a rather dramatic childhood. 

 

It turned out that Chanyeol was allergic to dogs—he was sent to the hospital before he even had the chance to have breakfast. Chanyeol was forbidden to have any types of pets ever since. But now, he needs to do this. 

 

A parrot would be too annoying. A pet frog… He shudders. Not now, not ever. Chanyeol is seriously trying to avoid a particular kitten’s sad, longing gaze towards him. He’s not going to get a cat. No. Lu Han loved cats—he wasn’t just a cat person, some people would even call him a cat supremacist. He hated dogs, which Chanyeol loves. But Chanyeol couldn’t get a dog just to spite his ex-boyfriend and almost fiancé. 

 

“May I help you, sir?”

 

Chanyeol spins around at the chirpy voice to see a girl in a black shirt that has the pet store’s name printed on it. He awkwardly smiles, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. “Hi, I’m looking for a dog…. But I’m allergic to dogs, so I’m practically hopeless.”

 

“Oh! You’re not hopeless at all. Hypoallergenic dogs exist, you know.” The girl says as she leads him further into the store. Chanyeol shuts his eyes closed while he walks along the snakes section. “Hypoallergenic dogs are dogs for people who are allergic to dogs but still want to cuddle with them—like you.”

 

Chanyeol flushes red, “Well, I don’t want to _cuddle_ , I just want a companion, really—”

 

“This is a Bichon Frise, an extremely cute breed.” She stops in front of a medium-sized cage. 

 

Chanyeol stares at the snowy white puppy for the longest time. “It’s so small…”

 

He changes his mind. Yes. Yes, he wants to cuddle. 

 

“So, what do you say?” The girl’s eyes twinkle with anticipation, holding up the puppy that’s staring back at him sadly. Chanyeol definitely _wants_ to cuddle. 

 

His wallet is still wailing dramatically, but at least he has already purchased plenty of dog food when he went on a shopping-spree a few days ago. Chanyeol grins. “I’ll take it!” 

 

He’s in the middle of adding a few pinches of salt in the pot of sizzling beef stew when Yifan comes barging into his apartment like a madman. Kyungsoo and Yifan have convinced him to hand a spare key for the couple in case of emergencies—as if Chanyeol would try to harm himself after the break up. 

Chanyeol is almost sure that Yifan just needed a reason to get free food for breakfast whenever Kyungsoo is at work. 

 

“Man, you should really learn how to knock.” Chanyeol shakes his head, distracted with his boiling stew to notice Yifan stopping in front of his puppy’s cage. “Lucky for you, I made your favorite dish.” 

 

“Chanyeol, what on earth is this?” Yifan kneels down to take a proper look at the small dog hopping in his cage, waiting to get out. “You got a dog?”

 

“Yeah, I still haven’t named him yet. Bought him this morning when I went for a morning run.” He turns off the stove to rush off to greet his friend who’s still looking baffled at the sight of the dangerously fluffy pup. “Isn’t he just so cute?”

 

Yifan, who once claimed to be a dog whisperer, brings the puppy in his arms as he sits on the couch. “Are you nuts? You can barely take care of your cactus and now you have a dog?”

 

“Stop underestimating me,” Chanyeol grumbles as he takes off his creamy peach apron. “I can take care of this pup just fine.” 

 

“Your cactus plant died,” Yifan deadpans. “It was a _cactus_.” 

 

“I had that cactus when I was dating Lu Han, so I was distracted. You know how Lu Han’s cat liked to scratch the thorns and hurt itself.” 

 

Yifan doesn’t look too entirely convinced, but the smell of beef stew is enough to distract him. He hands the whimpering puppy to Chanyeol before he rushes to the kitchen and wastes no time to get ready to eat. Lu Han’s Yuri!!! On Ice mugs are long gone, shattered pieces swept into the trash can —now replaced with Chanyeol’s own mugs. He had always preferred watching a shirtless Makoto swimming in the pool rather than watching anything else. 

 

Lu Han’s ripped skinny jeans go into a bigger plastic bag to be thrown away, too inappropriate to be sent as donation to the poor. Chanyeol likes to think that he’s on the right path of moving on, replacing each item that Lu Han loved with other things that Chanyeol knows Lu Han would hate. He holds those types of grudges towards his heartbreakers. 

 

“How did your first date go?” Yifan asks with a stifled snicker. 

 

Chanyeol, who almost forgot about the incident that happened a few days ago, is gladly reminded by the jackass that started the mess. He glares at Yifan. “You’re an asshole, you know that?” 

 

“What, is his dick too bomb for you to take?” Yifan barks out a laugh, throwing his head back. “Don’t you worry, I have a lot of girls and boys all lined up to get a taste of you, Casanova.” 

 

“Shut the hell up. I’m not falling for your blind date bullshit. Did you even know that Lu Han was in that stupid group chat?” Chanyeol throws piece of sliced kimchi to the grinning man. 

 

“Nah, he changed his number. I checked.” Yifan says.

 

Huh. Chanyeol doesn’t exactly know why he still feels that bitter twitch in his chest. Lu Han is moving on so easily, while Chanyeol is… contemplating on donating Lu Han’s unwashed clothes that he left behind. 

 

“Cheer up, man.” Yifan seems to notice him sulking. He places a few slices of beef into Chanyeol’s bowl from his own. “At least you got a really damn cute dog.” 

 

Chanyeol smiles like an idiot. Even if his best friend is an asshole sometimes, Yifan just knows what to do to cheer him up. “Yeah, Beethoven’s pretty cute.” 

 

“Beethoven?” The younger man’s brows furrow. 

 

“Yeah, since Lu Han hates Beethoven, I think I’d name the dog Beethoven.” Chanyeol shrugs, taking a look at the pup sitting on Chanyeol’s couch. “Ludwig van Beethoven.” 

 

“Lu’s Wig Banned Beethoven?” Yifan cringes. “Great name, I guess.” 

 

Chanyeol smiles tightly, beef stew tasting like ash on his tongue. 

 

“Anyway, I can’t stay for too long. Kyungsoo has an appointment with his parents’ lawyer in a few hours.” Yifan leans in to whisper, “He’s going to get his dad’s super huge beach house.” 

 

Chanyeol’s eyes widens as he gasps. “Seriously…?”

 

“Yeah, I can already imagine running naked with my dog at the beach.” Yifan closes his eyes in bliss. 

 

His ex boyfriend seemed to face no difficulty in the process of moving on. His best friends are getting a beach house for free. Chanyeol is still in the midst of clearing his closet clean of Lu Han’s stains and dirt. 

 

 

—

 

** Eight Ways to Forget You:  **

**           ~~1\. I can’t.~~ **

**            1. Throw out the stuff that you loved—that we both loved.  **

 

 

—

 

 

Being a workaholic who actually, deep inside, hates his job with a passion, Baekhyun has to sacrifice the fun things in life just for his job and the thick ass salary that comes with it. He doesn’t really complain about _that_ , but he really did miss on a lot of stuff throughout his life as a lawyer. 

 

Take his love life for instance; Baekhyun only had two dull boyfriends—one was a surgeon working almost seven days out of a week and the other was just sex-crazed college boyfriend whom Baekhyun dated right after he found out that Park and Lu have lost their virginities to each other. Don’t ask him how he knew about that—Secretive Skeeter was an obsessive stalker. 

 

After the two unsuccessful relationships, Baekhyun figured that he’d only focus on his job. And Baekhyun is good at his job. He’s not called the “best lawyer in the firm” for nothing. Without the distraction of an over-bearing lover, Baekhyun had achieved many things, won many cases, and received many compliments. He’s professional at his job—though currently, despite how professional he is, Baekhyun doesn’t really know how to handle this kind of situation.

 

Mr. and Mrs. Do are once again late for their appointment—and Baekhyun had predicted that they would dash into his office, arguing with each other either about how Mr. Do kept on staring at a particular seductive waitress or how Mrs. Do couldn’t stop flirting with the pool cleaner at home. But the quarreling couple isn’t the one who showed up at his office.

 

“Hi.”

 

Instead, a pair of two men appears by the door of his office. Baekhyun is confused at first, especially when he sees his former college tutee smiling at him, looking sincerely shocked to see him as well. 

 

“Yifan,” He greets as he fixes his tie. “What are you doing here?”

 

“Hey, toots,” The younger man winks at him, like he always did those few years ago, but this time, he does it with his hand holding another. “I’m just here accompanying my boyfriend. This is Do Kyungsoo.” 

 

At the sight of the quite familiar man standing beside Wu Yifan, the figurative light bulb above Baekhyun’s head brightens. “Oh! You must be Mr. and Mrs. Do’s son. I’m Byun Baekhyun, their lawyer.” 

 

Kyungsoo doesn’t greet him back; the man frowns at him for the longest time before asking—“You two know each other?” 

 

“Oh, yeah, this is my tutor back in college, babe. The guy I told you about!” Yifan exclaims before he glances at the lawyer for a moment, then whispers in his boyfriend’s ear confidently—not realizing that Baekhyun could hear every word he says. “He’s the guy who was really in love with Chanyeol and didn’t even bother to hide it.”

 

Baekhyun scowls, the playful anger and annoyance that he always had towards Yifan now returning even after eight years. “I can hear you, you know.”

 

Kyungsoo’s frown falters and dissolves in his now wide grin as he pulls the lawyer into a tight hug. “It’s you! Oh my god, you’re a lawyer! This is perfect.” 

 

“What’s perfect—” He doesn’t get to finish his sentence when the couple that he was anticipating to see since this morning struts into his office, mouths yelling curses at each other as if they’re talking about what to eat for dinner. 

 

“Mr. and Mrs. Do!” Baekhyun almost shouts, overwhelmed by the sudden appearance. “I’m glad you both have finally made it for today’s session.”

 

The strict-looking old man recognizes the two men sitting in Baekhyun’s office, hence he grunts. “I see you’ve met my son and his… lover.” 

 

Yifan waves his hand towards the unimpressed man sheepishly. Kyungsoo only rolls his eyes in retort. 

 

“Ah, yes. I have.” He clears his throat, walking back to his table. “I’ve been told by Mrs. Do that she had invited Kyungsoo here so we could discuss the matter of your joined properties, and to be more specific, the beach house—”

 

“I object.” Kyungsoo suddenly speaks up, slamming his palm on the table, startling his parents and his boyfriend in the process. 

 

“W-well, we’re not in court yet, so—” Baekhyun stutters, flustered and exasperated. 

 

“Yes, but I object to this divorce. I don’t want my parents to get divorced.” Kyungsoo’s expression is blank when he makes his decision. “I don’t want the beach house, either.”

 

Yifan lets out a choked sound. 

 

“But honey, this is for our own good.” Mrs. Do replies with a calm voice, reaching her hand out to soothe her son’s back. “Don’t you want papa and I to be happy?”

 

“Son,” Mr. Do says. “Your mother and I are getting a divorce whether you like it or not. We’re even trying to divide the family money and property equally to avoid any further arguments. If your mother had gotten a different lawyer, then there would be a massive fight.”

 

“I understand, but… don’t you two love each other anymore?” Kyungsoo’s voice cracks and his eyes prickle with tears. Yifan tries to hold his hand to refrain his boyfriend from standing up and creating a scene. 

 

“Oh, honey, of course we do…” Mrs. Do says, turning to look at her husband whose eyes soften at the sight of their disappointed son. “Even if your father is a cheating bastard, I still love him.” 

 

“And even if your mother spends too much time staring at the pool boy, I still love her.” He swipes his thumb on his wife’s wrinkly cheek, affection and adoration evident on his face. “But… sometimes you just have to let things go.” 

 

Baekhyun’s heart twists at the sight of the broken family. He knows how ruined a marriage is when he sees one, but this — seeing the man looking at his wife, a look that Baekhyun has never seen before, he’s sure that their marriage still had some potential. 

 

“I agree with your son.” He states his opinion aloud. Kyungsoo’s mouth is gaping when he looks at Baekhyun. “For your son’s sake, I would advise you to hold on to this marriage. I’d recommend you to attend couple’s counseling sessions. And for your son’s sake, I would like the both of you to cooperate.” 

 

The married couple take a long look at their son before they sigh in unison, nodding. “All right, then.” 

 

“But if this doesn’t work out,” Mrs. Do warns his son, “You’re taking the beach house whether you like it or not.” 

 

Baekhyun smiles, happy and content, not from winning a case—but from possibly saving a dying marriage. 

 

Yifan breathes out a gasp of relief when the married couple walked out of the door, clutching onto the front of his shirt as he clenches his eyes shut. “Sweet baby Jesus, I thought I was going to die out of suffocation.”

 

“Stop exaggerating.” Kyungsoo smacks his boyfriend’s chest before he bows to Baekhyun with respect and gratitude. “I don’t know how else to thank you, Baekhyun.”

 

“Yes, we do!” Yifan jumps in front of Kyungsoo’s bowing figure, startling the lawyer. “We _do_ know how to thank him, right, Kyungsoo…?” 

 

Baekhyun slowly backs away as the couple grin evilly at each other as if they’re making mental plans of murdering the innocent lawyer. “Um, guys…?”

 

“Baekhyun,” Kyungsoo holds onto both of his hands, looking at him with wide eyes. “How would you like to be Park Chanyeol’s blind date for the night?”

 

The young lawyer releases Kyungsoo’s hands swiftly as if he’s touching fire, spluttering out incoherent reasons to cover up the pink tints rushing up to his cheeks. “Wh—What—no, I can’t be on a date with Park Chanyeol—I mean, who’s Park Chanyeol, anyway, right? Hahahahahahahahaha.” 

 

“Way to not sound too obvious, toots,” Yifan laughs, shaking his head. “Chanyeol was supposed to have a date tonight, but his date cancelled last minute… The table-for-two reservation is still available, though.” 

 

Kyungsoo nods frantically, grabbing a hold of Baekhyun’s hands once again. “Please don’t let our Chanyeollie have dinner all alone tonight.” 

 

“I… I don’t know,” Baekhyun stutters out. Even though his heart is clawing at him, yelling at him to say yes, Baekhyun isn’t ready. He was in love with the man for eight straight years and he only got his heart broken—what makes anyone think that he’s ready to see Park Chanyeol again? 

 

“We know you still like him.” Yifan nudges his arm with his elbow. “Come on. We want Chanyeol to be happy, toots. All you have to do is have dinner with him.” 

 

“Well…” Baekhyun stammers. “Okay…” 

 

“Great!” Kyungsoo jumps in excitement, pulling Baekhyun’s head down for a kiss on his cheek. “You’re going to have a great time, Baekhyun.”

 

Before the couple exits his office, Yifan stops by the door and turns around with an unreadable look on his face. “Just in case you want to impress him, Chanyeol likes nerdy men—huge spectacles and all.” 

 

With that, his former tutee dashes out of the office, leaving Baekhyun alone to think about what he has done. He’s quick to rush to the office beside his, startling Minseok who’s in the middle of a phone call. He lets out a strangled voice, letting himself into the office uninvited. 

 

“Sorry, this is an emergency. I’m going to have to call you back—”

 

Baekhyun yanks the phone away from him and turns it off, slamming the phone onto Minseok’s table. He ignores the latter’s wince. “I’m going on a date with Park Chanyeol.”

 

“What?” Minseok’s jaw hangs. “When? How? Why?” 

 

“The date is tonight. His best friends set me up for Park’s blind date. I don’t know why.” Baekhyun answers with one single intake of breath. 

 

“That’s… great!” Minseok shouts happily, patting Baekhyun on his shoulder. “Isn’t it obvious? This is a sign for you to finally show yourself and let him know that you exist.” 

 

“Are you crazy?” Baekhyun argues, “The poor guy just got out of an eight-year relationship. What makes you think he wants to go on a date with a boring lawyer?” 

 

Minseok smacks his forehead with his palm, groaning. “You’re just the dumbest person I’ve ever known.”

 

“His friend told me that Park Chanyeol likes nerdy guys…” Baekhyun says, hesitating. “What should I do with this kind of information?” 

 

Minseok’s stretched grin resembles Kyungsoo and Yifan’s previous evil smiles. Baekhyun suddenly regrets his choice of friends. 

 

 

—

 

** Eight Ways to Forget You:  **

**           ~~1\. I can’t.~~ **

**            1. Throw out the stuff that you loved—that we both loved.  **

**            2. Get a really damned cute dog.  **

—

 

Waze and Google Maps are still rather useful for someone who _doesn’t_ have a car, but also still doesn’t have a clue where on earth he’s going. Despite the hectic scenario that happened last week with his first blind date, Chanyeol has no idea why he’s still complying with Yifan’s plans. He follows the direction stated in his broken iPhone 4s like a compass, directing him to a place that’s too fancy for someone who isn’t about to inherit a large beach house. 

 

Chanyeol pulls on his suit with a long sigh, searching for Table 24 the moment he enters the restaurant. His eyes land on the well-dressed man sitting by the table and Chanyeol’s hands are suddenly sweaty. He approaches the table carefully, smiling gently towards his blind date. 

 

“Hi,” He says, taking a seat. “Sorry I’m late.” 

 

“That’s okay…” His date replies, opting on looking at the utensils rather than looking at Chanyeol’s face. They soon all into an awkward silence and Chanyeol doesn’t know what to do to save his life.

 

His date has slender fingers—that’s the first thing that Chanyeol notices. They tap themselves on the table, creating a rhythmic motion that makes Chanyeol a little distracted. The rounded spectacles that his date is wearing couldn’t stop sliding down the bridge of his nose, and at some point, his date grumbles in annoyance when the glasses wouldn’t keep still. 

 

Chanyeol chuckles softly. “So, uh, what’s your name…?”

 

“Um—” His date’s gaze wanders around the restaurant before he speaks again. “Junhyung. Jeong Junhyung. Yeah. That’s my name.”

 

The waitress comes by to offer them wine, and even though his date—Junhyung—looks a little too young, he observes the wine menu professionally, brows furrowing deeply as he chooses the best one. Chanyeol is sort of afraid that his wallet would cry again.

 

His date courageously orders steak and possibly the restaurant’s most expensive wine while Chanyeol goes for the cheapest salad he could spot ( _I’m on a carb diet, he says to his unconvinced date_ ), with a glass of warm water to go with his bowl of bitter leaves. 

 

“My name is Park Chanyeol, by the way.” He says once the waitress walks away. “Sorry for not introducing myself sooner.” 

 

“That’s fine—I already know.” Junhyung laughs, cute and gentle. “You’re pretty famous in the SN UNI group chat.” 

 

_ This kid is in SN UNI? _ It’s an understatement to say that Chanyeol is shocked to know that his date is from the same batch as he is. Chanyeol almost thought that his date was a freshman in college. “Right, Yifan was the one who started that mess.” 

 

“Promoting you in the group chat was a really good choice, I’d say,” Junhyung laughs, crossing his arms as he leans against his chair, shy demeanor turning into a friendlier one. “You could see that there are so many people trying to get in line just to have a date with you.”

 

Chanyeol blushes in embarrassment, making a note in his head to kill Yifan in his sleep later that night. “Are you one of them?”

 

“Huh?” Junhyung’s arms fall back to his lap as he sits straight, stammering on his words again. “I mean, I don’t know. Do you think I’m one of them?”

 

Chanyeol takes a closer look at the small mole right above his date’s upper lip as he leans in. “In all honesty, I thought that you’re ten years younger than me and that I’m about to get arrested for going on a blind date with a minor. No offense.”

 

“Offense taken,” Junhyung smiles brightly. “I’m also in Batch ‘09. You just probably didn’t notice me.” 

 

“Or it’s probably because I took English Literature. Eng. Lit classes were always held at that large building too far away from the other courses. I think it was only close to the school of Law.” Chanyeol blabbers, stuffing his salad in his mouth—it tastes like soil. “Which course did you take back in university?”

 

Junhyung panics a little before he flings his fork from the left to the right. “Uh—nerd stuff! Science, Mathematics, Technology—all that really nerdy stuff. Hahah.” 

 

Chanyeol frowns in confusion for a while before he nods silently. “I see…” 

 

“Yeah, I’m just a nerdy guy,” His date forces out a laugh. Chanyeol is beginning to feel a little uncomfortable. “I plead nerd-guilty! Your number one nerd is _right_ here. Science is just what I breathe, you know? I breathe Science.” 

 

“…Cool,” Chanyeol smiles awkwardly. He needs to remind Yifan not to pick the people from his university as his blind dates.  “Um, so, the weather is like… so great, right?”

 

His date visibly slumps in his seat before he takes a huge gulp of his expensive wine. “Yeah, great like the power of Mathematics to us all.”

 

Chanyeol is screaming internally. Someone please just help him.

 

 

 

—

 

** From: Baekhyun **

** YOU TOLD ME THAT HE LIKED NERDS.  **

 

** From: Wu Yifan **

** Kard_don’t_recall.mp3          **

 

** From: Baekhyun **

** I looked like a total idiot. I literally told him that I “breathe” Science.  **

 

** From: Wu Yifan **

** Did I say nerdy??? I meant to say bad boys. He likes bad boys, rebels and all  **

 

** From: Unknown Number **

** Hi baekhyun this is kyungsoo!!!! Do you want me to lend you my leather jacket???  **

 

** From: Baekhyun **

** I can’t believe I’m listening to your advices.  **

 

** From: Do Kyungsoo **

** Low budget date at the café downtown this evening!!!!! Winkeu Winkeu **

 

 

—

 

 

“I am a lawyer.” Baekhyun repeats for the nth time to his friend who doesn’t seem to care. “I’m one hell of a professional _lawyer_.” 

 

Minseok is too busy digging through his closet to be paying attention to his panicked friend. Once he retrieves the jet-black skinny jeans, Minseok throws it to Baekhyun’s face despite his groans of protest. “Here, try wearing that. I think it would look good with the leather jacket that Kyungsoo gave you.”

 

“I’m a lawyer!” He says again. This time, he earns a harsh smack on his head. 

 

“Idiot,” Minseok hisses. “Do you want to impress this guy or not?”

 

Baekhyun huffs before he sticks his tongue out. “Yeth.” 

 

“Then do as I say.” Minseok takes a seat on the bed in front of him. Jongdae decides to join in as he hops onto the bed, both glaring at Baekhyun with hawk-like eyes. “What is your name?”

 

“Kim Heejun.” Baekhyun replies with the name that Jongdae had ‘creatively’ created a few hours ago. 

 

“And what do you do for a living?” Minseok asks, as if interrogating him. 

 

Baekhyun rolls his eyes. This is ridiculous. “I… ride bikes, drink beer and get some great lovin’.”

 

Minseok grins in satisfaction, spanking Baekhyun’s butt as he urges the latter to dress up. “Go and get him, bad boy!”

 

 

 

Baekhyun supposes that his sharp eyeliner look with his messed up hair doesn’t really go well with the ambience of the small café. His leather boots are making too much noises and the kid who’s sitting by the high-chair is staring at him in fear. His heart hammers swiftly in his chest when he spots the familiar brown mop of hair sitting by the window, warm cup of coffee grasped in his hand. 

 

“Hey,” Baekhyun greets his long-time crush as he takes a seat in front of him. “Park Chanyeol, right?”

 

Chanyeol eyes him from the top to the bottom with a gulp, and Baekhyun could literally feel the heat rising up from his neck to his face. Maybe Kyungsoo and Yifan were right all along – perhaps Chanyeol really does like bad boys. 

 

“Y-yeah, that’s me.” The (achingly handsome) man says. “And you are…?”

 

“Kim Heejun.” Baekhyun grimaces at the fake name, half of him hating himself for obeying Minseok’s words, other half thanking Minseok because Park Chanyeol couldn’t stop his mouth from hanging open. “It’s really nice to meet you.” _Again, and again, and again, and again._

 

“Sorry, but have we met before?” Chanyeol asks, taking a closer look at him and Baekhyun suddenly cowers in fear of being exposed. 

 

“No. Bad boys don’t go on second dates with the same person.” _God, what is he even saying—_ “You must’ve mistaken me for someone else.” 

 

Chanyeol stares at him warily before distracting himself with his cup of coffee. Baekhyun yells at the barista for a cup of caramel macchiato like an asshole, immediately regretting his actions once the barista gives him the stink-eye and almost all of the customers turn to look at him. 

 

“So, what do you do for a living?” He rushes on to change the subject, avoiding some customers’ piercing glare. “Are you a model?”

 

Chanyeol lets out a startled laugh, shaking his head frantically. “No, oh god no, I’m just an English teacher.” 

 

Baekhyun nods in acknowledgement, even though he’s yelling for help in his head. “Sometimes you just gotta make money, ‘ya know? You could be a model though.” 

 

The barista marches to their table and slams Baekhyun’s cup of macchiato on the table. She glares at Baekhyun again before stomping her feet and walking away. He feels like he should come again tomorrow (as the real him) and apologize sincerely.

 

“I like your leather jacket,” Chanyeol comments, giving him a kind smile. Baekhyun’s heart thumps. 

 

“I, uh… like your… thumb?” Baekhyun weakly replies, feeling like he’s dying as time goes on. “Thumbs are… Thumbs are nice.”

 

Chanyeol takes a glance at both of his thumbs, looking so insecure and cute that Baekhyun just really wants to sue him for making him fall for Chanyeol even after eight years. 

 

“I guess my thumbs are okay.” Chanyeol presses both pads of his thumbs together; brows knitted and tongue peeking out of his mouth as he focuses. “I think your thumbs are nice, too.”

 

Baekhyun just really wants to dig up a hole, bury himself in it and cry. Why is Chanyeol even nice to an asshole who yelled at a barista just now? 

 

“You’re just so kind to everyone, aren’t you…” Baekhyun murmurs under his breath, taking off his leather jacket when it gets too hot. “No wonder everyone’s falling for you.”

 

Chanyeol blinks. “I beg your pardon?”

 

“Nothing!” Baekhyun yells again. “I said that I like riding bikes and getting some great lovin’.”

 

“Oh,” Chanyeol responds shortly. “That’s a nice hobby.” 

 

 

 

—

 

 

** Eight Ways to Forget You:  **

**           ~~1\. I can’t.~~ **

**            1. Throw out the stuff that you loved—that we both loved.  **

**            2. Get a really damned cute dog.  **

**            3. Sell the engagement rings. Hello, iphone 7 plus.  **

**            4. Go on blind dates with guys who don’t look the same. **

**            5. Consider taking pills for people who hallucinate. **

 

 

—

 

 

 

“Honestly, guys, where on earth did you get my blind dates from?” Chanyeol rubs his temples. He’s getting ready for his next date and he swears to god—if this date doesn’t go well, he’s going to ban Kyungsoo and Yifan from interfering with his love life. 

 

Kyungsoo scratches his head as he looks at his friend guiltily. “Don’t blame me. Blame Yifan.”

 

Yifan only shrugs as he munches on his fried chicken, amused at the sight of Chanyeol back and forth in his room in order to get ready for his date on time. “Hey, where did you guys say this date would be, again?”

 

“The Carnival.” The lovebirds reply at the same time before continuing to chew on their chicken and watch some random show on Netflix. “Just take the bus to get there. I can guarantee you that you’re going to have lots of fun over there.” 

 

“But don’t have too much fun!” Kyungsoo whistles, winking at him teasingly. “There will be some kids there.”

 

Chanyeol makes a disgusted face before he throws his unwashed shirt towards the couple. “You guys are gross.” 

 

He hears a “Speak for yourself, jackass!” coming from Yifan before he gets out of the door and on his way to The Carnival. It’s been years since Chanyeol has been there—the last time was when he celebrated his 2nd anniversary with Lu Han. 

 

Come to think of it, Chanyeol doesn’t really think of Lu Han so frequently anymore. Perhaps the successful series of blind dates are really distracting him from a great heartbreak. The nostalgic memory of Lu Han and him kissing during the Ferris wheel ride doesn’t bother him that much like it used to. 

 

Chanyeol stops by the cotton candy parlor to buy himself the diabetes-on-a-cone desert before a stranger taps on his shoulder. “Excuse me?”

 

“Yes, hi—” Chanyeol spins around on his feet with half of the blue cotton candy stuck in his mouth, more than shocked to see a girl standing in front of him. “Hi…”

 

The young girl smiles, swiping her long hair behind her ears as she shyly greets him back. “Hello. You must be Park Chanyeol.”

 

“Yeah, that’s me,” The lathers of candy melts on his tongue. “And you are…?”

 

“Baekhee,” The girl says, too gentle and soft—Chanyeol couldn’t hear her over the frantic shouting of little children and rollercoaster rides. “Byun Baekhee.” 

 

Yifan must have made a mistake—but this girl looks too sweet for Chanyeol to tell her the truth, so he smiles and takes her by the hand. “Come on, let’s go for some rides.”

 

“Okay,” Baekhee says, lowering her head to avoid confrontation. “Not the fast and scary rides, though.” 

 

Chanyeol nods and smiles encouragingly. “Don’t worry. We’ll just go to the Ferris wheel, then.”

 

The ride on the slow Ferris wheel is silent, because Chanyeol just really doesn’t know what to say. Thankfully, Baekhee is the one who initiates a proper conversation. 

 

“I really like being up here,” She says once the Ferris wheel halts to a stop. “I feel like I could see everything from up here. You could even see Namsan Tower over there, see?”

 

Chanyeol glances to his left to see a few buildings and skyscrapers. It’s a sight that isn’t foreign to him. He still remembers that Lu Han, too, loved to look at the sky when they were on the Ferris wheel. But instead of a heavy twist in his heart, Chanyeol feels nothing. He feels numb. 

 

“Do you have any other stuff that you like?” Chanyeol asks kindly. He grins at the way Baekhee pretends to think before she answers his question. 

 

“I like my dog.” She says, bright smile lighting up the whole skyline. “His name is Vincent van Cough.”

 

He laughs, baffled. “Vincent van Cough?”

 

“I rescued him from the shelter. He was sick when I adopted him, and he was coughing.” Baekhee laughs along with him, visibly pleased at the thought of her dog. “It’s a stupid name.”

 

“No! Not really.” Chanyeol waves his hand to emphasize his disagreement. “My puppy’s name is Ludwig van Beethoven. He’s a hypoallergenic dog.” 

 

“No way,” Baekhee says. “Mine’s hypoallergenic too. My older brother is allergic to dogs. Vincent is a Bichon Frise breed.” 

 

“No way!” Chanyeol imitates the girl, laughing. “Mine, too!”

 

“I see,” Baekhee grins softly. “I suppose that we’re going to get along just fine, then.” 

 

Chanyeol’s smile falters slightly, guilt hanging heavy on his shoulders. It’s better to break it to her now, rather than possibly breaking her hopeful heart later.

 

“Listen, Baekhee… I guess Yifan didn’t tell you about this, but uh.” Chanyeol stammers on his words, looking elsewhere to avoid the girl’s gaze on him. “I’m gay.”

 

There’s a few seconds of silence before Baekhee responds with a quiet, “Oh.” 

 

And then, she smiles at him—with her eyes twinkling knowingly. “That’s fine. In fact, that’s more than fine.”

 

Chanyeol is beginning to think that there’s some kind of conspiracy that he doesn’t know of.  

 

 

—

 

** TO: SN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS – BATCH ‘09 **

** FROM: [[email protected]](/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection) **

_ Hello, fellow students of Seoul National University, _

_ This is an important announcement.  _

_ I am here to confirm the rumors of Lu Han tying the knot with an unfamiliar man. Yes, it’s true. Lu Han is getting married.  _

_ After two and a half years of dating, I had proposed to Lu Han when we were in Paris. He said yes.  _

 

_ Yours truly, _

_ Secretive Skeeter. _

 

—

 

 

Chanyeol was on his way back from his usual tutoring class when he saw the man waiting in front of his apartment. 

 

It isn’t really anything to wonder about, honestly. His friend would always disappear without any words, either he’s too busy with work or simply too busy indulging in his luxurious life that he’s living. Jongin would always send Chanyeol a text now and then, telling him that he’s doing fine or he’s currently drinking strawberry champagne at a random beach in Miami. 

 

Though now, as Chanyeol stands in front of Jongin, who seems so distant—like a stranger rather than a friend, he doesn’t really know who Jongin is anymore. The man has new piercings on his ears now, hair dyed in deep red and there’s a shining glint coming from his finger; a ring. 

 

“Hey,” Jongin says. He’s holding a card in his hand and he’s purposely refusing to look at Chanyeol in the eye. 

 

“Hi,” Chanyeol greets back, kind but cautious. “Where have you been?”

 

“I’ve been here and there, just the usual stuff…” Jongin chuckles – Chanyeol could hear the nervousness and anxiety trembling in his friend’s voice. He just doesn’t know why. “Listen, Chanyeol… I need to talk to you. Can I come in?”

 

He’s running a little late on his next blind date. But this is his friend, Chanyeol argues with himself, his friend that he hasn’t seen for months. Smiling gently, Chanyeol ushers Jongin in. “Come in, then.”

 

Jongin seems to be surprised to see the neat-looking house, even more surprised to see the excited dog hopping up and down and running towards Chanyeol who laughs in reply. Everything is different now. 

 

“Take a seat,” He nudges his chin towards the couch. “What do you want to talk about?”

 

Jongin’s eyes roam around the house before they meet Chanyeol’s worried ones and he visibly swallows. “I guess you already know that Lu Han is getting married.” 

 

“Yeah,” Chanyeol says, mere, like a quiet whisper. “I got Skeeter’s email. He’s getting married to Skeeter.” 

 

Jongin nods, handing the card to his friend with trembling hands. “I just figured that I’d give you the invitation in person.” 

 

Chanyeol’s worried glint in his eyes turn into confusion as he opens the card. 

 

 

**_ YOU ARE INVITED TO THE HOLY MATRIMONY OF: _ **

**_ KIM JONGIN AND LU HAN _ **

 

**_ DATE: SEPTEMBER 8TH, 2017 _ **

**_ VENUE: GAEUL FLOWER GARDEN _ **

 

 

“What…” He’s having a hard time to get the words to crawl out of his throat. “What’s going on?”

 

“I’m sorry, Chanyeol.” Jongin looks genuinely guilty, but that doesn’t make up for the months of heartbreak that Chanyeol went through. It doesn’t make up for the money that Chanyeol used to buy the rings to propose to Lu Han first – he proposed to Lu Han _first_. Chanyeol just really doesn’t get it. 

 

“ _You’re_ Skeeter? The one who tried to break Lu Han and I apart since college? The one who was happy to announce how miserable I am after the break up? You’re the one who stole Lu Han away from me?” Chanyeol clenches his fist, wedding invitation all crumpled up in his hand. “It was _you_ all along?” 

 

Jongin stares at the floor, head hanging low, ashamed. Chanyeol scoffs, and then laughs sarcastically. 

 

“Isn’t this just the fucking cherry on top,” He spits, laughing pathetically at himself. “My own friend was the one who caused me the greatest heartbreak and depression! You’re really amazing, Jongin.”

 

“I’m sorry.” Jongin’s jaw locks, the tip of his ears bleeding red as his hair. 

 

“Sorry? Oh, you’re sorry!” Chanyeol claps his hands like a maniac, throwing the wedding invitation away. “I’ve moved on from Lu Han weeks ago, and now you’re here, telling me that it was you all along.” 

 

He should have seen the signs. It was too obvious, yet Chanyeol didn’t notice—he didn’t pay any heed to it because he had trusted Lu Han. He trusted Jongin. He should have noticed the stolen glances, the hasty excuses, the constant disappearance—everything. He should have realized that Jongin was helplessly in love with Lu Han—too pathetic to the extent of being an anonymous journalist trying to break two college sweethearts apart. 

 

Chanyeol chuckles darkly. Jongin was even more pathetic than he is. 

 

“And now you even have the decency to come over to my house and invite me to your wedding.” He spits. “Congratulations, Jongin. I’d never forgive you, just in case you still don’t know.” 

 

Jongin is about to beg, “Chanyeol—”

 

“Get the fuck out of my house.” Chanyeol interrupts. “Get out, Jongin. I really don’t want to look at you right now.” 

 

“Chanyeol, wait—” Jongin tries to reason with his friend, though Chanyeol knows that Jongin doesn’t even have the rights to talk to him anymore. 

 

“Get out!” He yells, startling his innocent pup sleeping by his cage. 

 

“Fuck, Chanyeol! Lu Han cheated on you with me because he knew that you didn’t have enough money to even support yourself!”

 

Ah, Chanyeol is absolutely sure that Jongin definitely deserves that hard punch on his face. 

 

 

—

 

** Eight Ways to Forget You:  **

**           ~~1\. I can’t.~~ **

**            1. Throw out the stuff that you loved—that we both loved.  **

**            2. Get a really damned cute dog. **

**            3. Sell the engagement rings. Hello, iphone 7 plus.  **

**            4. Go on blind dates with guys who don’t look the same. **

**            5. Consider taking pills for people who hallucinate. **

**            6. Punch your fiancé in the face. He deserved it. **

 

 

—

 

 

 

After a series of shouting and yelling and scaring his poor little pup, Chanyeol cancels his blind date for the night and takes Beethoven out for a walk at the park nearby to make it up for what happened. The pup looks genuinely shocked and scared at his sweet owner’s outburst. Chanyeol places Beethoven in his long coat, cradling him to his chest as he murmurs his apologies to the pup. 

 

“Sorry you had to witness that,” He pouts. Beethoven’s ears perk up at the rumble of his deep voice. “Jongin is really an asshole.” 

 

Once they reach the park, Chanyeol takes the pup out of his coat, placing him gently on the floor for him to walk. Unlike other puppies, though, Beethoven doesn’t run away and abandon his owner. Instead, he paws at Chanyeol’s leg, wanting to be cradled in his owner’s hands once more. 

 

Chanyeol chuckles softly. “You little baby.” 

 

He doesn’t even have the chance to put his whimpering pup back into his coat when he hears a loud bark coming from his left. A bigger dog of the same breed tackles Beethoven before Chanyeol could do anything else to protect his son. 

 

“Vincent! Vincent van Cough!” A man comes running towards the two pups and Chanyeol figures that his head would never stop spinning. “What did papa tell you about attacking other dogs? Bad Vincent!” 

 

Chanyeol pauses at the familiar voice and name. “Vincent…?”

 

The man stops in his pace when Chanyeol turns around to look at him, dropping his phone on the ground—he seems to be forgetting about the quarreling dogs, too. “Oh my god.”

 

“Junhyung, is that you?” Chanyeol squints to take a proper look at the frozen man. “Wait, your dog’s name is Vincent van Cough. Baekhee…?”

 

“Uh…” Baekhee—or Junhyung—or Heejun, possibly, blinks and grins sheepishly before he waves. “Hi, Chanyeol.”

 

Beethoven practically howls at his owner, suffocated by Vincent’s relentless licks against his face. Chanyeol cringes at the sight, pulling his pup away from the other dog. 

 

“I’m so sorry, that’s just how Vincent befriends everyone.” His previous blind date apologizes, as he drags his own dog towards him before the dog even has the chance to run away. “Is your puppy okay?”

 

“Y-yeah, Beethoven’s just fine.” Chanyeol shakes his head, “Um, what’s your name again? It’s not that I don’t remember… I’m just confused.” 

 

“I don’t blame you for that,” The man in the lemony yellow pajamas laughs, hugging his puppy close to him. “My name is Byun Baekhyun. It’s nice to finally meet you.” 

 

Baekhyun—Byun Baekhyun—had Junhyung’s faint mole above his upper lip. He has the same messy hairstyle as Heejun, and the brightest smile resembling Baekhee’s grin. Chanyeol could feel his head spinning. “So… Heejun, Baekhee, Junhyung—you guys are quadruplets?” 

The man standing before him cackles loudly at the quiet park. “No, no, they were all _me_. Yifan told me to dress up as those kinds of people because he told me that you liked nerdy boys, bad boys and sweet girls.” 

 

“God, you were being lied to,” Chanyeol hides his face in his hands, ashamed and angry at his best friend. “I don’t even _like_ girls.” 

 

Baekhyun’s laugh is melodic, smooth and gentle. He tilts his head back just a little, pretty mouth stretched and covered with slender fingers. “I guess it was my mistake to listen to what Yifan told me to do.” 

 

“So… I finally get to meet the real person now?” Chanyeol teasingly asks with Beethoven cradled against his chest. He takes his time to properly look at the man standing in front of him, hair a little too messy, yellow pajamas doesn’t go too well with the grey cardigan. Yet Baekhyun’s eyes pull him in, pretty lips raising havoc in his head. 

 

“This is me. Byun Baekhyun, a lawyer.” He points at himself as if he doesn’t have much to show, but Chanyeol’s heart is beating a little too fast for him to consider the fact that he’s only looking at a man looking perfectly messy in his pajamas. “I was a Law student in SN University, building just next to yours.” 

 

As always, Chanyeol doesn’t remember. Baekhyun seems to notice the defeated look in Chanyeol’s eyes. 

 

“It’s okay if you don’t remember! I was a pretty quiet kid back then.” Baekhyun comes closer to run his fingers in Beethoven’s fur. “Um… Do you want to go on a date?”

 

“Uh…” Chanyeol stammers, finding the right words to say. “Um—”

 

“Unless you’re already dating a nerd who breathes Science, then it’s okay,” Baekhyun teases before the both of them burst into a fit of laughter. 

 

“A real date this time,” Chanyeol says, trying to appear stern. “No more pretending.”

 

“It’s settled.” Baekhyun stands on the tip of his toes to place a short kiss on the taller man’s cheek. It’s the first time they’ve met—but if they were to think about it again, it feels like they’ve already met a hundred times. “I’ll see you tomorrow?”

 

Chanyeol nods. As he watches the man walk away with his dog, he feels certain warmth fluttering in his chest. His phone, (a brand-new iphone 7 plus Rose Gold) vibrates in his pocket. 

 

 

** From: Do Kyungsoo **

** Good news: parents cancelled their divorce. God, just marry that lawyer already before I do. **

 

 

And something tells him that the fluttering warmth would last a very long time. Not that he minds.

 

 

 

 

—

 

** Eight Ways to Forget You:  **

**           ~~1\. I can’t.~~ **

**            1. Throw out the stuff that you loved—that we both loved.  **

**            2. Get a really damned cute dog. **

**            3. Sell the engagement rings. Hello, iphone 7 plus.  **

**            4. Go on blind dates with guys who don’t look the same. **

**            5. Consider taking pills for people who hallucinate. **

**            6. Punch your fiancé in the face. He deserved it. **

**            7. Date a fancy ass lawyer. **

 

—

 

 

 

 

Chanyeol’s famous beef stew is almost ready when the door bell rings, interrupting Beethoven’s evening nap. The man turns off the stove before he rushes to the door, fixing his hair and pink apron before he opens the door. 

 

Baekhyun is sporting the same grin as he is when they greet each other. It’s almost an everyday routine—Chanyeol would return from his tutoring job to cook dinner and Baekhyun would stop by his place to eat together after he’s finished with work. Chanyeol would try to convince Baekhyun to move in with him now and then, after three months of dating, but the smaller man would always find a reason to say no—the reason being Vincent hating Beethoven. 

 

Though judging by the way Baekhyun could easily make himself feel at home, tossing his socks by the shoe rack and slipping his hand inside of the cushions to retrieve the lost remote control, Chanyeol knows that his boyfriend has been practically living here. 

 

“Here,” Baekhyun hands him a bouquet of daffodils. “These are for you.”

 

Chanyeol accepts with a blush, leaning down to kiss his boyfriend’s lips. “Thanks.”

 

“No problem,” Baekhyun tips the taller man’s chin up, winking. “You look pretty today, love.” 

 

And as usual, he leaves Chanyeol surprised and breathless by the door while he welcomes himself in the house, stealing a few bites out of Chanyeol’s beef stew.

 

 

 

 

 

—

 

** Eight Ways to Forget You:  **

**           ~~1\. I can’t.~~ **

**            1. Throw out the stuff that you loved—that we both loved.  **

**            2. Get a really damned cute dog. **

**            3. Sell the engagement rings. Hello, iphone 7 plus.  **

**            4. Go on blind dates with guys who don’t look the same. **

**            5. Consider taking pills for people who hallucinate. **

**            6. Punch your fiancé in the face. He deserved it. **

**            7. Date a fancy ass lawyer. **

**            8. Fall in love again—with Byun Baekhyun, this time. **

 

—

 

 

 

 

** Epilogue **

_ Eight years later _

 

It’s been only a week since he volunteered to become a part-time English teacher at the local orphanage nearby. Teaching extremely tiny children isn’t really something that he usual does—since he teaches students who are in elementary school—though it turns to be more exciting. Sure, the kids would get distracted every ten seconds and run around everywhere, but they are also easily fascinated, mouths gaping wide each time their teacher demonstrates a simple magic trick. 

 

The little boys and girls welcome him with tight hugs around his knees, hopping around when their favorite English teacher arrives at the front gate every Thursday morning. The children are rather clingy and quirky, constantly fighting for Chanyeol’s attention—to show him a drawing of his ears, to read a book of alphabets just to prove to him that they’re improving, to feel accepted and not viewed as orphans, but as actual, innocent, bright children. And Chanyeol is always happy to comply with their wishes. 

 

There’s Jiyoon—the girl with a small ponytail and a crooked smile. On particularly noisy Thursdays, there are the witty twins, Jihee and Haerin. 

 

Though there’s this one boy has captured his attention since day two. Minjae is an adorable four-year-old with big dreams and bright eyes that seem to shine even brighter every time Chanyeol steps into the study room. He’s a rather quiet kid who tends to opt on sitting at the furthest seat—the one in the corner of the room—and stare at the other students while they raise their pudgy hands up to answer their teacher’s questions. 

 

When Chanyeol first volunteered to teach, he barely noticed the boy, not until he came over the next week only to see the same boy with a different… vibe. 

 

Quiet and shy Minjae, who once wore a neatly tucked in navy blue shirt with shorts, appeared at the second class with a ribbon covering his chocolate brown hair and a pink sweater that seemed a little too small on him. 

 

Chanyeol stared at the boy for the longest time with amusement when his fellow classmate, Jiyoon exclaimed, “Hey, that’s my pink sweater!” 

 

Minjae’s face flushed red when he was caught; Chanyeol could never forget how the little boy looked at him for a second before he ran out of the room, leaving the teacher baffled and confused. 

 

He figured that it wasn’t such a big deal—though when the fourth class came along, Chanyeol had noticed a pattern. Each child that Chanyeol paid extra attention to in the previous class, Minjae would imitate. 

 

Chanyeol would always remember the way he cooed at Jiho’s large round spectacles during the third class. The next week, little Minjae came stumbling into the room wearing round plastic spectacles and had the initiative to finally take a seat in front. 

 

Last week, Chanyeol purposely gave one of the twins, Haerin, a big hug when she managed to obtain a full mark for her first spelling test. She twirled happily in her sunshine yellow dress, humming with joy as she walked back to her spot, unaware of the relentless, longing gaze that Minjae was sending her. 

 

Chanyeol absolutely remembers how his heart clenched oddly at the sight. 

 

When Chanyeol enters the orphanage with a loud greeting for the children to hear, preparing himself to be cuddled by twenty kids at once. His eyes are wide when they roam across the room, searching for the orphan that he couldn’t stop talking about even on busy days. He stifles a laugh that’s threatening to erupt out of his mouth, slip past his wide grin when he finds Minjae already by his seat, arranging color-coded pencils. 

 

He supposes that Minjae looks absolutely cute in that stolen sunshine yellow dress. Confirming that his suspicions were right, Chanyeol kneels in front of the surprised boy before he taps the boy’s chubby cheeks. 

 

“Hi, Minjae,” Chanyeol smiles softly. “How are you?” 

 

“I… I’m fine, thank you…” The little boy replies slowly, gaze wandering about as if he’s trying to remember a few words that Chanyeol has taught the children a few days ago. “How are you, teacher Chan?” 

 

“Well, I feel absolutely fantastic today.” He enthusiastically replies. The other children are still running around, too absorbed in their own conversations to notice the adult and the quietest boy actually interacting. “Can I ask you a question?”

 

Minjae nods, fingers intertwined on his lap. 

 

“Why are you wearing Haerin’s dress?” He asks, trying to sound as kind as he could. “Did you steal it from her?”

 

The boy shakes his head frantically with eyes wide and innocent. “N-no, teacher Chan, Minjae didn’t steal…”

 

Chanyeol crosses his arms against his chest. “Did you ask for her permission?” 

 

The boy shakes his head once more. 

 

“Then that’s wrong, Minjae-ah.” He runs his fingers gently in the boy’s brown locks. “You’re supposed to ask for permission if you want to borrow someone else’s things.” 

 

“If…” The boy stammers, “If Minjae wears a dress, Minjae gets a hug, no?”

 

Chanyeol pauses. “A hug?”

 

“Yes, a hug. Like this,” He wraps his tiny arms around Chanyeol’s broad shoulders. “Hug?”

 

“You were wearing your friends’ clothes because you wanted a hug from me?” 

 

Minjae nods. 

 

“Oh, Minjae, come here,” He pulls the boy into the warmth of his embrace, rubbing the boy’s back with his palm. “You don’t have to wear Haerin’s dress to make me hug you.” 

 

Minjae tilts his head. “No?” 

 

“No,” Chanyeol chuckles, pulling away to look at the boy’s purely perplexed expression. “You can just ask me to hug you.” 

 

“Hug?” The boy widens his tiny arms. 

 

The teacher laughs, loudly this time, as he hugs the boy once more. He’s absolutely sure that his husband would love having Minjae as a son—in fact; Chanyeol is certain that the moment that the adoption papers are approved, Baekhyun and Minjae would get along very well, especially when it comes to dressing up.  

 

 

 

* * *

 

** Fun fact: **

** #1 my bestfriend syue warned me NOT to include yifan in this fic because it would be too obvious. but how could I not?? its kris lol **

** #2 the sidepairing, krisoo was supposed to be hunsoo. I’ve been writing hunsoo as the sidepairing until I hit about 9k words, then I rechecked the prompt and it turns out that my prompter wrote “anything except hunsoo” for the sidepairing. I YELLED  **

** #3 sehun’s character was supposed to be kris. that explains the basketball shorts and douche-like characteristics  **

** #4 my bestfriend zen was the one who told me to replace hunsoo with krisoo and I was so thankful for that bcs honestly krisoo is cute. thank u zen!! **

** #5 jongdae and minseok were supposed to be hoseok and yoongi. I was afraid that the prompter might not like it, so I changed it to xiuchen LFJHKDS **

 

**i was honestly so disappointed with this fic. i know that its too rushed, i couldnt get it done on time... im hoping to do well for bae18!**

** I noticed that some people thought I wrote angst fics, and I saw some comments under bae’s guess who post that they knew this was my fic because of my writing style and kris HAHAHA and someone said they were curious about eight ways to forget lu’s writer bcs of the humour in this fic, im glad you like my rusty humour!!! hahahah **

** thank you so much for reading! I love all of you so so much!  **

** I might update this now and then with short drabbles heheh **


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